Bulb protector



Dec. 11, 1956 F. w. KIBLER ETAL 2,774,049

BULB PROTECTOR Filed March 25, 1952 INVENTORS 477'0ENEY9 FEEDER/oz w. M5158 United States Patent I I I BULB PROTECTOR Frederick W. Kibler, Beechhurst, and William J. McNifi,

Wantagh, N. Y. I

Application March 25, 1952, Serial No. 278,371

2 Claims. (CL 339-75 This invention relates to a bulb protector, and more particularly to a device for attachment to an electric bulb socket formingpart of tree and like decorations and for preventionof removal of the bulb from said socket. I I

In certain types of decorations wherein electric bulbs are used, particularly small bulbs of the conical or tapering type such as used on Christmas trees, there are many instances where such bulbs are pilfered or removed from the sockets thereby causing the decoration to be out of service or possibly causing injury to children due to their putting their fingers into the sockets, and sufiering electric shock.

With the above disadvantages in view, it is an object of our invention to provide a device for preventing removal of an exposed electric bulb.

It is another object of our invention to provide a compact, easily mounted device for attachment onto an electric socket and to prevent removal of an electric bulb from said socket.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an economical, easily made protecting device which can be readily attached to a socket having a conical base and which can enclose a bulb, preferably of conical shape, to retain said bulb firmly in the socket.

A specific object of our invention is to provide a relatively strong, readily assembled, easily mounted bulb protecting device wherein the bulb is enclosed by said device to prevent removal from the socket thereof.

Other objects and novel features of our invention will become apparent from the following description taken in 'conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of our invention as applied to a lamp socket;

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 before assembly;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention as applied to an electric bulb socket preferably of conical outline;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 before assembly and attachment to a socket;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the invention as applied to an electric socket;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 before assembly;

Fig. 8 is a view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of another embodiment of the invention as attached to an electric bulb socket; and,

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 9, before assembly.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar reference numbers refer to like parts throughout, it will be noted that there is provided, according to our invention, a device 10 comprising a base or strap 11 containing terminal threaded openings 12 and 13, respectively. Extending upwardly from said base or strap 11 is an arm 14 containing a terminal loop 15. It will be noted that said arm 14 interconnects said loop 15 to the strap or base 11. Said device 10 is made of easily bent, malleable, but strong material such as a metal and is adapted to be mounted onto a tapering or conical shaped electric bulb socket 16 accommodating an electric bulb 17 preferably of conical shape and of the type commonly known as Christmas tree bulbs which are in electrical connection with conductors 18 and 19. The base 11 of said device 10 is readily mounted to socket 16 and is bent and fixed relatively thereto by means of a screw 20 passing through openings 12 and 13 with strap 11 wound around said socket 16.

It will be noted that the loop portion 15 of device 19 is of larger diameter than the tip of the bulb 17 and is extended to fit at an area intermediate the apex and base or at about the mid-portion of said bulb 17 so that when the device 10 is fixed to the socket 16, loop 15 is in substantial contact with the bulb 17 thereby preventing removal of the bulb 17 from the socket 16; Furthermore, said socket 16 as shown is of a tapering or conical formation whereby it has a wider base portion at the upper end into which bulb 17 fits.

It is apparent that if any attempt is made to remove bulb 17 from socket 16 when the device is in position, as shown, that bulb would be moved slightly but not removed due to the loop 15 preventing further screw movement of the bulb. Nor, could the device he pulled away from either the socket end or the lamp end because of the contiguity of the wider portions of the bulb or socket, thus preventing removal of device.

In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5 it will be noted that the device 21 is a substantial duplicate of device 10 and is provided with an intermediate loop 15a with extending arms 14a and 14b and base members 11a and 11b. Said device 21 can be readily mounted on a socket 16 containing a conical bulb 17 by bending the arms 14a and 14b downwardly from the loop 15a and then bending the members 11a and 1112 around socket 16 to permit connection of the members 11a and 1111 by screws 22 and 23, through holes 12a, 12b, 13a and 13b.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, there is provided a device 24 having a metal strip or band 25 from which extend a plurality of pointed prongs 26 the free ends 27 of which are normally bent away from the longitudinal axis, as shown in Fig. 8. This device can be readily attached to a socket 16, as shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the ends 27 of the prongs 26 extend inwardly of the longitudinal axis of the socket to prevent the unscrewing of the bulb 17 from socket 16.

In the modification shown in Figs. 9 and 10, there is shown a cagelike device 28 containing a base member 29 with upwardly extending arms 30 connected to a loop or circular section 31 integral with said arms 30. The diameter of the loop 31 is smaller than the diameter of the base 29 and when mounted onto a socket 16, as shown in Fig. 9, the loop 31 engages the bulb 17 while the base portion 29 is fixed rigidly against the socket 16 by means of screw member 32, through threaded holes 12d and 13d.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, it will be noted that there is provided a bulb protecting device for use particularly where the bulbs are of the conical type and where they can be ordinarily and otherwise easily removed from the decorations. The device, according to the invention, is made preferably of strong but malleable material such as metal where the collar can be attached rigidly to the socket portion of the electric bulb units. The device made according to this invention is very economical to make and is easily adjustable for mounting onto an electric socket to encage a bulb carried by said socket. Fur- Patented Dec. 11, 1956 mange dwieemadeaccnrslia .tc'the .preseatrmvca- 7 tion, is preferably unitary, and adapted to lock the bulb and socket together, the bulb and socket being such that heir .iqiain j w is hew de xm t on .o .each- -S id widest portionof the bulb and soeketare cqntiguousso th e the bu 9 o k t n b sepa ated- In prefer em od m n of inve tioniha hemi been des r b v n ustrate t 1 .1w e undertood thatmodifications as toforrn, arrangement of parts and use of materials'rnay be made without departing from the. spiritand scope of the invention asclaimed.

; We claim: V

ue' bina w h a o ica bulb mqua di a lti liQus to he. base o t bul f a p otecti v ce toprvent separation of the bulb from the socket, said devic qmpr insa l psu u ing th b t an r intermediate its apex and base portion, at least one. arm le z di @0 the lQ P l e he b lband d wn to th socket, 1-strap means extending from the arm adapted; to.

'suground the socket, and means locking the strap means toftheconical socket intermediate its apex and base portigns toprevent separation of the bulb from the socket,

2. A unitary locking device for preventingremoyal of a mama l ockettheretot,.hulhandsccketeach being of conical shape and when assembled'the base of" V the socket is contiguous to the base of the bulb, said device comprising flexible means for encircling the conical portion of said socket, arm means extending upwardly of said flexible means, means encircling said bulb at a point intermediate its tip and baaeportiomand means for locking said flexible meansto the conical socket intermediate its apex and base portions whereby'when said device is mounted on lhe'hu b. and socke e annhie ns exten outwardly where 'saidbasepgrtiqns are contiguous and p aticucf he bu b and .speke i s pr n d References .{litggl in-the fileaofi this patent I 'UNITED STATES PATENTS Boyer Feb. 19, 

